Death Chain
by TheLastTscheapwhetzar
Summary: What follows is a series of short glimpses into a larger, darker quest. A masked and cloaked man with many false names seeks to cheat death by creating a Death Chain. This mysterious object is formed over the course of invading multiple worlds and stories including Hercules, Spirited Away, Avatar: the Last Airbender, and Lyrian. But to what end does he seek this power?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Pain and Panic had enjoyed watching their god swirl through the whirlpool of endless death. Hades' complaints and pleas had long ago faded. There was nothing else to watch now but the souls of the dead floating lazily in the green fluid of Styx.

They still giggled to themselves, but the spectacle was over. It was time to figure out… Well, whatever they were going to do now!

The two hench-monsters turned about to march up the stone steps to Hades' penthouse. Visions swirled in their heads about how they would redecorate that gloomy room with all the tokens and maps marking Hades' many defeats at the hands of Hercules. Upon further reflection, the two imps should have foreseen that Hades was setting up his own demise. That was the core concept of a basic tragedy.

He should have gone to the theater more often…

But right as they turned to leave Hades behind, they stopped dead in their tracks. A man stood right before them. He had sneaked up them quietly.

They just looked at his thick, black boots and the frayed, stained hem of his swirling cloak. Their eyes moved upwards in unison as they took in his pants with many bulging, oddly-placed pockets. They took in his sheathed sword and knife, the first adorned with a reared, hissing snake head, and the other with a roaring dragon. There was leather breastplate over his shirt with some colorful pattern obscured. And finally, his face was covered with a hood pulled over his eyes and covering even his nose. A large, toothy smile was splashed across his face.

"Pain… Panic..." he hissed.

The flinched as their names were said.

"Back away."

They both whimpered and scampered away.

"Who let the loon in here," Pain whispered under his breath.

"Well, Hercules did leave a pretty big hole in the entrance when he came in on Cerberus, Panic said back quickly. "We were all so taken in with Hercules, no one was watching out for others!"

"And who would even come down here, anyway?"

"Someone who wants to make a deal with the god of the underworld," the stranger said in response to Panic's question.

He lifted his hand up and red lightning formed around his fingers. His digits appeared to lengthen and the lightning burst from his hand. It rose to the high ceiling and writhed. A hand formed in the shape of a claw.

The stranger plunged his hand down towards the gloomy pit. The claw fell like a bolt from Zeus himself, crashing down at blinding speed. The dead howled as the red lightning flowed through them.

"I need something that he can give, which few others from the realms of death are willing to do," the man continued. "Hades is known for his deals, and though he often acts selfishly, he always keeps his end of the bargain. That is how Hercules regained his godlike strength when he should have been powerless against the Titans. I should reclaim them too, when I am done. I loved them as a kid."

Pain and Panic shared very confused looks with one another.

Over the course of the ten five minutes the lightning flashed and changed the color of the River Styx to blood red. The entire chamber was a thunderous horror show. The cloaked man did not say another word until Hades, a dripping wet mess, was reeled right out of the whirlpool. The lightning claw gently placed the god on his feet.

With a wave of his hand, the man restored Hades to his usual not-so-cheery self and said, "Hades, Lord of the Dead, I'm the Tscheapwhetzar and I have some matters I would like to discuss with you."

He did not let the god compose himself before he put a hand on his shoulder and steered him up the stairs. Again, Pain and Panic were unsure of how to proceed, so after a moment, they scampered up the stone steps after Hades and the the man with the strange name.

Once they were up in the penthouse and Hades had been pushed right onto his throne, the cloaked man removed two scrolls from one of his many pockets.

"Wait, wait, wait, hold on here. What is the name of Bejezzus just happened back there," Hades asked.

"I saved you," was the simple response. "And now, we're enjoying a drink."

"We are?"

"We all are."

Once more, with a slight gesture, drinks appeared in everyone's hands. Hades had a strong drink in a fine glass. Pain, Panic, and the stranger were slurping Hercules sodas. The god of death's hair flared red when he saw the drinks.

"Oh, get over it already. You were just beaten fair and square," the man said. "But I come with a way to mull all of that messiness away."

He began juggling his two scrolls…

Hades narrowed his eyes as he took a sip of his drink, before saying, "What was your name again, friend?"

"I'm the Tscheapwhetzar, but if you find that title too long for your liking, call me Ghash."

"Those are both terrible names," Hades said dully. "You made a big entrance, but tripped on the red carpet with that terrible intro."

The Tscheapwetzar burst into flames. His body elongated, becoming simultaneously serpentine and demonic. His cloak became black flames, licking at the ground. His hands were flaming claws, still juggling the scrolls, but they did not burst into flames. His head became like a dragon's, crowned with jagged and twisting horns. He stopped transforming as his body became flames and coals, his eyes burning white.

Then, in a flash, he returned to the his human form.

"Ghash," he said with a knowing smile, as if he was keeping a big joke to himself.

"Well, Ghash, I dread asking this," Hades replied, as if he was unfazed by the sudden display power and transformation. "But you obviously did not perform your little, unnecessary act of charity just for kicks and giggles."

This prompted a quick snort from Panic, which earned him a seething glare from his god.

Hades returned his gaze to the Tscheapwhetzar and continued, "So, _Ghash_ , why did you decide to pluck me from my little swim?"

Ghash tossed one of the scrolls one-handed to Hades. The god caught it and inspected it. He ran his fingers over it and double read the words painted on the woven reeds. There was a small tremble that ran through his blue-gray body.

"Papyrus?"

"It makes a better piece of paper than a font," Gnash replied.

Hades ignored that comment and continued, "You want me to grant you the right to pull _one_ person back from the dead. And one person you choose, no questions asked. Right?"

"That is correct."

"But I do have a question: _Why?_ "

Ghash's answer was to toss the second scroll to the Lord of the Dead. Hades caught it lazily. This one was of thick parchment and was sealed with an intricate wax seal. It was a symbol he did fully understand, and there was a power to this scroll. One that sent a jolt through his very being. He did not want to open it.

"There's your answer. What? You thought I would demand this of you because I saved you," Ghash laughed. "Nah. A novice would rely on that reasoning to get what they wanted. No, the situation is much more grave."

Almost compelled to do so by the power in his hand, Hades set aside the first scroll and broke the seal of the second. He began to read.

Pain and Panic watched their god's face change. It began as incredulous and contemptuous. Then it became curious.

Then enthralled.

Shocked.

Fearful.

"What have you handed me," he whispered to the Tscheapwhetzar.

"You read it just fine," Ghash said, relaxed. "There is a war underway. A massive war. One that we have never seen in our lifetimes. One that only the ancient parts of the Realms remember. You can feel their Truth, can't you."

Hades dropped the scroll and spat, "And you think this will sway me?"

"Yes, just as surely as after you were beaten there was a rousing musical number from a Gospel choir. And I know you will not only grant my request, but you will pass that message along to your siblings upstairs."

The four of them just stood there for a long, quiet, awkward moment. Pain finally took another slurp from his drink.

"Fine! You can have your stupid request,' Hades bellowed.

There was flash of blue flames on the papyrus scroll. Ghash happily snatched it from Hades' hand and inspected the singed signature. He gave the god a nod of approval.

"I'll be expecting you all soon. There's a lot to be done," he said.

Ghash snapped his fingers, and a hole was opened in the air beside him. He stepped through it and vanished from sight. Pain and Panic dropped their drinks, spilling their content on the floor. The sudden disappearance caught them off guard. They then looked over to Hades, who smoldered on his throne.

After a long moment, he looked up at them and said, "Prepare my chariot. I have a very uncomfortable date with my brother…"

The two monsters scampered off quickly, leaving Hades alone.

What a terrible day it had been… But…

This news, this would slap whatever smirk was on Zeus' face. The scroll that sat at his feet would make everything from the underworld to Mount Olympus to shake.

And that brought a smile to Hades' lips as darkness deepened around him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Chihiro left class, confused about the two new students who had just enrolled. There was something about them that did not belong. For one, the boy had his hair all up and spiky in a way that made her wonder if his head weighed an extra five or six kilos. He also wore goggles, an odd choice in fashion that had once been more suitable in the United States than here in Japan. And the girl's hair was just too off, and she wore that odd cape with a bright hair pin.

More than their outer look, if Chihiro squinted at them, they had a very different outline to them. Of course if she squinted at anything it obscured the image, but this felt so off!

But most telling of all was that these stranger had breached all acceptable protocol and had approached her, asking if they could talk after school, alone.

Chihiro felt apprehensive, but scared. When she was younger she had experienced an odd day during his family's move to this town. She couldn't fully remember it, or explain why, but something about that move had erased many of her fears. She was known in her school as a girl with great resolve, pride, and something akin to fearlessness. Meeting with two new weirdos wasn't as offsetting as it would have been to her peers.

They met in a space beside the school. The boy, Tai, was lounging against the wall. Soa stood sweet and serene, hands clasped in front.

"Hey there, Chihiro," Tai said as she came up.

That was very forward. It took her off guard.

"Please forgive him," Sora said with a bow. "He's just impatient."

"Time is of the essence!"

"You wouldn't know the meaning of that word if Izzy hadn't told you," Sora snapped at Tai. He just laughed it off.

"I'm sorry, but I was under the impression that you wanted to talk with me," Chihiro said tersely.

"Yes. Yes we were," Sora said, jumping back to her sweet self very quickly. "We are new here and are looking for someone who can help us find something. When we were moving here, we were told that there was a really cool place in the woods down the mountains. A kind of tunnel."

A chill went down Chihiro's spine. The day she had moved here.

"Yes, I suppose there is," she said cautiously.

"Well, we don't have homework today," Tai said. "We were hoping you could show us around! We'd really like to check it out!"

Chihiro was about to say no, but then she felt something odd. There was a memory waiting for her down that hill. Honestly, she found herself looking that way down from her house often. But she had never managed to muster up a good enough of an excuse to take a day down there. Her life with her family, friends, and school kept her plenty busy, And she was now job hunting, too.

Now two new classmen offered the perfect excuse. When would she find another such opportunity? She wasn't sure, so she decided to accept their invitation.

"Alright, I'll take you down there," Chihiro replied. "Let's just grab some drinks and snacks first."

Tai and Sora looked very relieved and they happily followed her. They located a vending machine and they bought some sustenance. They then made their way down the hill to the dense woods. As they wandered through the trees, Chihiro took in all of the small, stone shrines to the spirits of the forest. The feeling here was one of familiarity and homeliness.

Tai and Sora ended up being pleasant travel partners. Despite his earlier rudeness, Tai was very personable and kind teen. Sora was cute and talked the most of the trio. She told Chihiro of where they had come and she asked lots of questions. It was a nice hike, and Chihiro lost a lot of her trepidation. However, it returned in full swing when they came to the tunnel.

Waiting for them lounging against the lichen covered stonework was a man in a mysteriously swirling and worn cloak. His hood was high and pulled low over his face. There was a grin visible under the hood and he waved at them.

"Tai! Sora! Good, good, you all came!"

"Wait! Was is this about," Chihiro asked, suddenly tense and backing away from her classmates.

"I told you we should have explained ourselves more," Sora lamented.

"It would have done little good," the man said. "Telling anyone that a world of spirits awaited them and they don't remember would make anyone question your sanity."

He pushed himself away from the wall and walked forward, saying, "But Chihiro, you feel drawn here, don't you? No more than when you look at that gleaming band that holds up your hair."

Chihiro right hand flew to her ponytail, where a bright, shining band held up her hair. She had had this memento ever since she moved here. She couldn't remember where she had got it form, but she cherished it dearly. And true to the stranger's words, it made her glance down the hill more often than anything else.

"Who are you," she stammered.

"Someone who wants to reunite you with some dearly beloved friends," he answered, his grin still affixed.

"Stay away!"

The stranger stopped exactly where he was. It was almost like he froze in mid-step. His grin widened. He then motioned to the others.

"Sora, Tai, thank you for your assistance. How about you call out to Agumon and Biyomon on your devices, if all else goes south." The stranger then turned his attention back to her. "Chihiro, I can fully appreciate any trepidation you right now feel. Three strangers surround you in a forest. And yet, you still feel calm. And behind me you feel a pull towards something familiar."

"Who are you," Chihiro asked.

"I get that a lot," the man smiled. "Bob. My name is Bob."

The word tasted strange on her tongue. It was clearly not Japanese, but English. "Bob?"

"Yeah, it's funny name. At least, I find it funny, so I claim it!"

"You are insane," Chihiro said sharply.

The man paused for a long moment and then moved to the side of the trail. Chihiro noticed that behind him stood a fat, smiling statue. Bob pointed towards the mouth of the tunnel.

"I am insane. But there is Truth out there. Specifically through there. Chihiro, none of us will follow you, this is your journey to make, if you want. But here's something I want to give as a challenge, if you will." His grin slackened and he became more serious. "If you find long lost friends beyond that tunnel, you will regain all of your memories, and this time, they will not be taken from you. I will give you that power over the world of spirits!

"And, if you do find long lost friends beyond this gateway, then I would like to borrow your hair tie for a brief moment. I promise I will return it when you return. And, if everything is not as I have said, if there is nothing waiting for you beyond this tunnel, then we three will turn ourselves into the authorities."

This was all clearly nuts. Chihiro did not trust any of them. But then the wind rose and she felt pulled, no draw into the tunnel. Chihiro gasped.

Her feet began moving, and she left Sora, Tai, and Bob behind. She heard Sora protest, but Bob cut her off. Chihiro began walking faster. This was crazy, but she had taken a chance. These three were trying to make her dance to the pull of some creepy strings, but maybe there was a way out this way. More important, she _was_ being drawn to this tunnel.

She darted past the statue and plunged into the darkness.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 

The sun was almost entirely set when she emerged from the tunnel. And this time, her memories stayed. How could she have forgotten in the first place? Granny, No Face, Kamaji, and of course, Haku. The world of the spirits was still perilous to someone who was human and alive, but she had found Haku quickly. It was as if he had always been waiting for her. He had flown her around. They retraced the steps of her adventure.

Tears stung her eyes as the fresh and the old happy memories bubbled within her.

"I take it from the expression on your face that you found what you had lost," Bob said.

Chihiro whirled about and saw the man leaning against the wall where he had before. She took a step back, instinctively. He was alone now. Tai and Sora were nowhere to be seen.

"Why are you still here," she asked.

"Because, a deal is a deal," he said with slow deliberateness.

He held out his hand.

"Why do you want to see my hair tie?"

Bob retracted his hand and contemplated her for a moment. Chihiro shivered as she was certain that his eyes flashed red for a brief second. He sighed and started to explain.

"That band is woven with the good will and magic of your friends. It was a labor of love and it represents your connection to them. It represents love. And it it a literal connection to a world beyond that of the simply living. It is a powerful artifact and a personal one. It is one of a kind."

Chihiro's hand moved to her ponytail.

"I won't destroy it," Bob said with some exasperation in his voice. "I only want one strand of its thread. Given willingly, if possible."

Chihiro sighed and began undoing her band. "I have no idea what this is all about. I don't want to know."

"That's probably for the best," Bob replied, drawing closer.

Chihiro held up her hair tie to him, but he did not take it. Instead, he gingerly pinched the hair above it with two fingers. It was like he was plucking a hair only he could see. In a small flash of purple light, Chihiro saw one strand from her precious memento wriggle free from the rest of the band. Bob held his other hand open, and it landed in his palm.

He withdrew and then took out from within the folds of his cloak something that wrapped up. Both hands were suddenly wreathed in red lightning. The purple strand grew in length and writhed like a snake. Bob clapped his hands together and there was a roll of thunder.

As electricity continue to visibly course through and around Bob, he spoke again, "Unfortunately, I think that the business that brings me this way will be known in both of your worlds soon enough. This is a war unlike any you could ever imagine. And there is some real irony in saying that! But this! This will take me one step closer to victory!

"Trust me, Chihiro! If the Guardians knew what I was doing, they would turn all their ire against me and kill me! But I will dare to break every rule to see this war through. That is why my order was created! Even death itself will break before me!"

The lightning about his person discharged and flew into the sky. Clouds above became illuminated and grew in size and darkness. The woods became silent. Everything became quiet. And now, there was no doubt about it, there was a red light to his eyes.

Bob threw her a flashlight to her, and spoke one last time to her. "Be safe as you go back to your house. You can return here any time now. They will be waiting for you. And the last gift I give you is this: wholeness. Something I don't have."

He sprouted great, bat-like wings. And with one, furious beat, he took off into the air.

Chihiro was left all alone. Mechanically, she put her hair back up and replaced the band. It felt like she was reattaching a part of herself. And that was a small comfort. The happiness she had just experienced was entirely eclipsed by what she had seen. What she had heard.

She retrieved the flashlight from the ground. After turning it on she made her way shakily back up the hill. And the darkness deepened.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The Tscheapwhetzar walked through the calm gardens near the palace of Ba Sing Se. Now this was a story that he was proud of! Avatar: the Last Airbender was already a masterpiece of cartoon, one to endure for the ages. But he still could not resist from reaching out and Corrupting it.

It was a cardinal fiction sin that had started it: shipping.

He had seen the writing on the wall early on: Aang and Katara. Zuko and Mai. And why not? The way that the world of Avatar and the relationships were laid out, these conclusions were inevitable! And that was something that he appreciated. He always appreciated a good Story.

And there were few better than Avatar.

But that lost-swords-be-cursed shipping! It made him laugh.

Toph and Aang. Jin and Zuko.

In a deep, dark recess of his damaged heart, the Tscheapwhetzar had a fondness for messing around with others' love lives. It was so enjoyable to Corrupt a Story and bring about relationships and events that had never been planned. It was a wine as strong as bleeding a world dry or waging all out war, but with a very different and addictive taste to it. It was easy to get indulgent with either and get sloppy.

In that sense, Avatar: the Last Airbender was a triumph of manipulation and gentle caressing with his Corrupting touch. This world did not look like anything that the original creators had dreamed. He had perfectly robbed this beautiful world from its Originators. That was one of the most frightening abilities belonging to his order. Back when there had been more than just him they had not worked with as much finesse, because they felt they could have stood up to the Guardians.

However, for him this had been more a labor of love. Anyone could simply mash two people into an improbable situation, get them smooching, and call it love. Heck, they might just steam the rice and throw the two right into bed with each other! But to the Tscheapwhetzar, he saw something with much greater potential. Relationships that could not only last, but that could have consequences far beyond their original intent. And that was the real power within a smart ship.

He had inserted the right people into their lives, orchestrated the proper situations, whispered the right words, painted the perfect dreams, and subtly given the exact nudges. It was a refined dance, for he had to slowly remove Aang's childish crush on Katara and get him to look elsewhere while still while weaving Toph more into his pattern. They were both so strong willed, and in many ways not an immediate or right fit. It had taken years, but it had all paid off during the search for Zuko's mother.

And Zuko had been another matter entirely! How did you get the prince of the Fire Nation to really fall for a refugee, peasant girl with a teenage crush when a forceful girl like Mai wanted back into his life? Now _that_ had been nigh impossible! But it was worth it.

Toph and Aang kept an apartment here within the city, a gift given to them by the Earth Kingdom for their heroic deeds. Iroh's tea shop was nearby, as were the other residences for the other heroes of the war. They all had other homes, of course. And Aang had been busy trying to rebuild what was left of his culture and the temples. And the world needed the Avatar for much needed reconstruction and reconciliation, both physically and spiritually. But they would both be here.

Toph was pregnant, and nearly due.

They would be here, where it was safe for delivering a child. Where friends could come to support them. Where they could also escape for some private quiet. And for once in this journey, he hated to intrude. But this was very important.

He made his way up the steps softly and quietly to their front door. It swung open, revealing a very pregnant Toph.

"You're going to have to sneak quieter than that if you want to get the drop on us, Dragon," she said, her mouth slanted with disdain.

"Just doing the courteous thing and ringing the doorbell," the Tscheapwhetzar answered with a laugh.

"Even Twinkle Toes can mask his approach. I would have thought that an all powerful being such as yourself could manage at least that much, to match my chrome dome husband!"

"Hey," came Aang's call from within the house.

"As ever, your charm knows no bounds," Dragon said with an austantacious bow.

Toph clapped him hard over the head before pulling him into a tight hug. "Where have you been all this time? We were worried you were going to miss out on the big day!"

"I have been getting your letters," he replied sheepishly. "And sending them back."

Toph waved a hand in front of her face. Before Dragon could offer another excuse, Toph led him inside, calling for Aang.

There was one more thing that he had done to bring about this highly improbable future, against all the odds of the Story and its canon. He had revealed himself and his plot. And miraculously, they had accepted him.

"Hey, if it isn't the old Corrupter! As young as ever, I see," Aang said, walking in and exchanging a quick high five and a hug with the Tscheapwhetzar.

"Ha! By now we are roughly the same age."

"If only in appearance," Aang said. "I still have a hundred years on you! At least here in this world."

"Don't get him started on that," Toph said, rolling her eyes. "Ever since he found out he could get bureaucrats to obey him better here in Ba Sing Se, he's been pulling age rank as often as he can! It's gotten really annoying."

"But it gets Zuko all the helps he needs," her husband protested. "We need the Earth Kingdom's support if we are going to build our sanctuary for all four nations!"

That was one outcome that was unavoidable. A central city for all benders and all cultures. A lasting testament to the Avatar and the victory he and his friends had brought about over the Firelord. He was interested in seeing what effect his influence would have over this particular future.

Dragon spent a good, long while catching up with Toph and Aang over tea and some sweet cakes. Getting married and getting a tad older had mellowed Toph, but thankfully not too much. And for Aang, it had made him act just a little more like one would expect the leader of his people (however small that was) to act. But he was, just like Toph, still a goof at heart. Some characters weathered time much better than others.

They regaled him with tales of adventures throughout the world. What creatures they had met. The spirits they had communed and parlayed with. The secret organizations they fought in the wake of the Firelord's defeat. The new friends they met. The relationships budding all around him. And the newest tea Iroh had been working with.

Dragon for his part kept things lighthearted. He spoke of the worlds he had seen. The narrow misses with the Guardians. How he teased the Order. His own adventures in short, but with several things omitted; he did not want to draw too dark of a curtain over this happy couple's lives. But there was something he desperately needed from Aang, and he could see it on Toph's face that she knew something was up.

"Okay, I'm going to let you two old farts continue this conversation. I'm getting bored, and frankly, sitting for so long isn't helping this girl's back at the moment," Toph said, emphasizing her words with a wide yawn.

Aang moved to help his wife, but she waved him away and left the room, a cooled cup of tea in her hands. Aang watched her go before turning back to Dragon. He gave him a wide smile and a shrug.

"I wish I could be around more often your shenanigans," Dragon said, chuckling.

"More like we would want to be part of your stories someday! You get to see things we've never dreamed of!"

Dragon gave his own shrug and commented, "I guess it comes down entirely to a matter of perspective. Because we live it, many times our own Story does not seem as fascinating and adventurous as others perceive it to be."

He took a gulp of his own tea, heavily flavored with honey. "Aang, I need to ask a favor of you."

The Avatar gave him a perplexed look and asked, "What is it?"

"I need you to help me cross over into your spirit world. I need to make a bargain before the powers that balance life and death." The Tscheapwhetzar took out the papyrus scroll laced with the strand of magical friendship from a pocket in his cloak. It was folded into an intricate chain. "I need this to become a Death Chain. I have most of the ingredients necessary for that to happen. But if I am not careful, I could easily upend creation itself on many worlds and completely destroy them. I needed to come to place where balance is paramount and embodied in every living thing. And championed by someone like the Avatar."

Aang reached out a hand and Dragon gave him the papyrus chain.

Hefting it he said, "This looks brittle. And you think the spirits can make a chain out of this?"

"I believe they can, but it will be more than just metal," Dragon said, his voice lowering.

Aang sighed and said, "My friend, it is dangerous to mess around with the balance of the worlds. The spirits hold it sacred. I don't think they will let you mess around with that, especially if it has something to do with life. Many fear it, but life is a precious and necessary cycle of life that gives us the happiness we have while we and our loved one are alive."

Dragon smirked. "Look at you! You have become quite the wise one!"

"Iroh and I have had many deep discussion. You can blame him for my sudden bursts of wisdom," Aang said, anxiously scratching the back of his head and smiling.

"He's a wonderful and wise man," the Tscheapwhetzar agreed. Leaning in, he said, "But this very, very important. If you will at least take me to the spirit realm I can show you why I am doing this."

Aang sighed and thought for a moment, drumming his fingers on his knees.

After a moment he said heavily, "Fine. We'll go. But don't get your hopes up!"

Aang got up to seat himself directly across Dragon. He told the Tscheapwhetzar is assume a meditating pose. As the Avatar, he could slip into the world of the spirits, but that was not something most others could do, even with meditation. He had learned this a few times with more dangerous experiences with the spirits. However, the Tscheapwhetzar was an exception.

The Avatar passed over the barrier and went into the spiritual world. The Tscheapwhetzar ripped his way through.

Aang held the same body and clothes as he had in the world of the living. The Tscheapwhetzar was wrapped in a long, tattered, black cloak that concealed light. He hurriedly attached a mask, cutting out most of the light. The Avatar regarded him gravely and escorted him outside.

In the spirit world, Ba Sing Se was replaced with labyrinth of crumbling mountains and overgrown forest. It was the mark of a world where humans dominated, but would not always hold permanent sway. Life always found a way back, and no city endured forever. Nature waited to reclaim the capital one day.

"Follow me," Aang said and he soared away.

The Tscheapwhetzar sprouted and spread his mighty wings before following.

"So… How exactly do you think we go about getting a word with the rest of the spirits," Aang asked.

"I thought you were the Avatar!?"

"Yes, but I don't know how this Death Chain is supposed to be made," Aang protested.

Dragon thought for a moment and then asked, "Do you have any way of reaching out to all the spirits collectively?"

It was now the Avatar's turn to think for a moment. Finally, his eyes lit up brightly. He finally pointed and with a voice that sounded like thousands, "Descend." Aang gestured to a large pool at the feet of a massive tree. The two figures quickly made their descent.

The Tscheapwhetzar landed on the gray grass next to the mirror-like lake. The Avatar alighted on the surface of the water. A single ripple went out from where his toes touched the surface. His eyes were solid white as he looked directly at the masked intruder. When Aang spoke again, it was with an even greater choir of voices.

"Thief, you have clawed your way into our world and sanctuary. Through the mind and ears of the Avatar we know that you desire our power."

"I do," Dragon said, cutting Aang and the others off. "I bring here a contract, made with the God of Death, Hades. WIth this I can retrieve One soul from the world of the dead, no questions asked."

"That is not all you have with you," the cacophony of voices accused.

"Correct again. I have with intertwined this contract with the powerful spell that reaches between worlds. It is the power of friendship and love given a physical form."

"And you are not satisfied with retrieving one soul. You wish to get more, Thief."

Dragon grinned behind his mask and said, "I have always admired this world, it's has no time for BS."

"You will not have what you seek," the Avatar declared.

"Not under these circumstances," Dragon admitted. "But allow me to convey a vital piece of information that you are missing."

He reached out with one finger. His cloak pulled back a little, revealing a bright and luminescent appendage. He caressed the surface of the pool, creating his own singular ripple. As it spread across the water, the glass reflection changed. A scene of destruction was opened up to the Avatar.

Broken worlds. Extinguished Stars. Dust and dead bodies spread across the cosmos. And the powers of all the Accursed being marshalled for war. The spirits might not understand it all, but they understood the Truth. And this scene of carnage was _Truth_. And it was imbalance. The spirits would not want this imbalance, and they could see it was going to come for them. Eventually.

"I plan on breaking all the rules," Dragon informed them through the Avatar. "I will match these foes and Devour them! I am a thief. I am the last of the Tscheapwhetzars, Collectors and Corruptors of old. And though I destroy what I touch, I still love all worlds in my own way. And my hunger is without bounds. To protect all worlds, let me turn my maw against this enemy. But to defeat a monster capable of such destruction, I need the rights to powers the likes of which only gods can hold!"

"You ask us to allow one abomination so that you can defeat another," the Avatar said.

"Yes. That is what I wish."

Dragon withdrew his finger back into the folds of his cloak, putting out the light. The images vanished. The Avatar mused for a long while. Dragon was patient and did not press the matter further. He had made his case for now. He would only speak more on the matter if he had to.

Finally the Avatar spoke again, "Drop your contract into the pool. A chain is what you want, and a chain is what you will get."

He let fall the papyrus chain with a flourish. The second it hit the water, it sank like a stone.

"Retrieve it," the choir of voices commanded.

Dragon fell to his knees and plunged his hands into the water, grasping something hard and cold. The pool began to bubble and roil as he slowly pulled out a heavy chain. Red lightning coursed along its length. It began to grow colder, like frozen steel. It burned his hands.

"You have what you desired," the Avatar aid, and there was a bright flash of white light.

Both Dragon and Aang came to, still sitting across from each other. The chain weighed heavily across the Tscheapwhetzar's lap. They both felt extremely drained.

"Well… You've got what you wanted. They were not happy," Aang said with a sigh.

"No, I didn't expect them to be. But this, this chain, it'll be enough to brighten someone's day," Dragon said, holding it up. "Come. I'll whip us up a great dessert. My thanks for everything."

"It better be a darn good dessert if you two went romping in the spirit realm," Toph's said, leaning in the doorway nearest them.

They both turned to her.

"You were gone so long that the wet willies I gave you guys has probably rubbed off already."

That didn't stop the two men from trying to dig the spit out of their ears.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Jason Walker, the Grand Duke of Caberton, walked through the Court of Heroes, looking up at the faces of the friends he had lost. Looking at the brave, smiling faces still sent twings of pain and grief through him, even five years after the war with Maldor concluded. His eyes, as always, came to rest on Ferrin. The Displacer's head sat beaming under his arm. Even with the sadness, that image always brought a smile to his face.

How odd that humor and grief could intermix. How could two opposing emotions coexist?

Some guards cried out, confusing Jason for just a second. After looking about wildly, he finally located the source of the commotion. It wasn't difficult, because people were crying out as Jason's torivor, Lurky Two, engaged a cloaked and hooded figure. A sword flashed into Lurky's hand, and the stranger drew his own blade.

"Call off your guard, Duke Jason," the man said. "I would hate kill a torivor. They're fascinating creatures, and it would be a real loss. Plus, Rachel would not appreciate all her hard work going to waste."

Jason was taken aback. This guy spoke so calmly about facing down a torivor. And he thought he could take Lurky! He was still not a master swordsman himself, but he could see that this man was comfortable with that sword of his. In any case, jason did want anyone getting killed on his watch.

"Lurky, back away. But be ready, just in case," Jason ordered.

The torivor lowered his sword and backed away two steps.

"Still keeping up your guard, I see. Very wise. Not many nineteen-year-olds would be so cautious or forward thinking," the man said.

"Not all teenagers have fought the world's last wizard and lived to tell the tale," Jason replied.

"It's an experience that more could do with. It would shape them up, I think. Get rid of the others who couldn't, I hope." The man started laughing, and he sheathed his sword with a quick thrust to the side. Jason thought he saw a hint of red light. "And to think that I would run into the great hero, Jason, himself! Well, I guess it shouldn't be too much of a surprise. Afterall, I did wait for you to emerge from those tedious meeting before approaching these magnificent statues."

"You were waiting for me," Jason said cautiously.

"Yes," the man said, inclining his head. With the hood pulled low, it was hard to read him. "The man chosen by Darian the Seer to save Lyrian should be present for the dawning of a whole, new age."

Lurky Two walked to block Jason from the gaze of the other man. Guards were drawing closer to the spectacle, concerned. Nobles and peasants in the square were forming a morbidly curious circle around them. Normally people were scared of getting anywhere close to a torivor, but the prospect of duel with one drew their attention.

The man reached into his cloak and drew out a heavy chain. He let one end of it fall with the loud thump onto the ground. A wide smile stretched from ear to ear as he spoke again.

"Jason, what if I told you that I could break the barriers between Lyrian and Earth? What if I told you that you could see your dearly departed friends again? If I could promise you that, what would you be willing to give?"

The absurdity of the man's proposal threw Jason off for a second, but he quickly regained his wits.

"No one can bring back the dead. Not even the greatest wizard. And no one has any control over the portals between our worlds. We could only send back Rachel because of darian's information. Also," he swallowed before continuing. "If she were to come back, and we both stayed here… Rachel and myself, I mean, something bad would happen."

"I know, that is a possibility," the man admitted, his smiling lessening. "But still, if you could see them all again, what would you do? Come one, I really want to know."

This guy was a creep! And how did he know so much? Or was he just really good at playing along. Maybe he was a Displacer who escaped Galloran's victory and wanted revenge. Maybe he had been working up to something like this for a while. If that were the case, he might be relying on his severing ability to save him in a fight with Lurky Two.

If that was how he expected to best a torivor, he was sorely mistaken.

Jason finally decided to answer him honestly. "If I saw them again, I'd probably give them all hugs and thank them for their amazing friendship and their sacrifices."

"And Rachel?"

That kind of stung to think about. "Her most of all."

"I'd like to see that," the man said, sounding excited. "With your leave then, Grand Duke Jason Walker, allow me to reunite you with your lost comrades!"

He hoisted his chain and with a flick of his wrist got the chain over his head. He spun it immediately, The sound of the spinning chain was a heavy hum. Jason took a reflexive step back and reached for his sword. He never needed it with Lurky Two always nearby, but now he wanted something comforting at hand.

The stranger whirled about and launched the end of his chain right at Ferrin's statue. Jason yelped with shock and anger; he did not want the legacy of his friend, one of Lyrian's heroes, being tarnished in any way. But the chain did not even lay a scratch on the Displacer's likeness. No, instead, it _merged_ with it!

"Now for the prestige," the man laughed.

With a burst of speed, he rounded the torivor and took Jason by the crook of his right arm. Jason felt first a wave of cold wash over, quickly replaced by a warm, pleasant feeling. And then he was assaulted with memories of Ferrin. Images of them training together, laughing together, speaking high above the temple of Minniamon, and more. They all flooded in.

Lurky Two pounced, blade flashing. The stranger's sword shot from his scabbard and intercepted the torivorian steel. A haunting musical note sounded all around them. The lurker proceeded to hack and slash, trying to get at the stranger, but his own sword kept parrying and blocking of its own accord. More notes sang forth from the clashing swords.

"Ferrin, your friend desires to see you," the man said calmly.

"He's dead," Jason began saying, but then he stopped and his eyes widened.

From the chain, mists began to pour out, and from the mists arose a figure. One that he recognized immediately. A man with well formed arms, a broad torso, and mischievous grin formed in the air and landed lightly on the cobblestone. He quickly transformed descriptive, colorful mist into tangible flesh. Ferrin was back, dressed in plain clothing, and looking both happy and now confused.

"Jason? Is that really you?"

"Is that really you," Jason asked aghast.

"Yes it is," the man with the chain laughed. "Unfortunately for the moment, Ferrin's presence here is only temporary."

Ferrin spun about and asked, "Who in the names of the thrice-blasted wizards are you?"

"What? No prongs?"

"Not the right context," Ferrin answered, obviously unsure if he had missed a joke.

"What have you done," Jason asked.

"I spiked my Presence into the Echolands, the world of the dead that connects Lyrian with other worlds. Including Earth," the man added with great emphasis. "Ferrin is still for all intent and purposes dead. He will have to return to the Echolands. However, I can open up correspondence between your many worlds if I can get to the heart of it all."

He reached into a pocket and withdrew a scroll that was too large to have simply been resting in there. Jason took the whole man in and sized him up with a new kind of appreciation. This man was not a wizard from Lyrian. He knew about Earth. And the magic he used was very different than what Maldor or Rachel had done. His eyes came to rest on the scroll, and the man tossed it to him.

Jason easily caught the scroll one-handed.

"I'll swap places with Ferrin for a bit while I take care of some stuff in the Outskirts," the man explained. "In the meantime, take that scroll to Galloran, please. You'll all want to read it together."

"And why do you think we'll go through with this," Jason asked. "You come out of nowhere, cross sword with a torivor, bring my friend back from the dead, supposedly-"

"Hey," Ferrin protested.

"And now you are handing me a scroll and saying that I need to read it in the presence of the king of Trensicourt. I don't even know who you are! It feels like a trap."

"Wonderful! Maldor taught you well, even with the short meetings that you had with him," the stranger congratulated. "You can call me the Tscheapwhetzar for right now. Strange name, amazing things can happen! I promise that what I have just tossed you will not cause any harm to anyone on Lyrian. What you will learn about can harm you. And that is why I am here."

"You're being cryptic."

"Jason, if I told you everything, how would you ever learn?" The Tscheapwhetzar laughed and said, "Now, toddle off. The real test begins. Catch up with Ferrin as quick as you can!"

With that, the man gave a tug on the chain and vanished in a puff of mist. Everyone in the square looked to each other. Ferrin approach and gave him a shrug.

"I swear it's me. Look!" Ferrin popped off his head and tossed it high.

A smile spread across Jason face as a cold feeling blossomed in his stomach. He was certain this was his friend, but what was in his hand felt heavy. Not a physical weight, but something more. He had not felt like this since the war, and that was not helpful.

"Come, Ferrin," Jason said, glancing at the chain merged with Ferrin's statue. "I think we need to take this to Galloran immediately. Something is going on and we need everyone on board for whatever is coming next."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Destiny was the only one at the table who did not jump as a man stepped right out of the air. She felt like she had been waiting for this masked man. Even with his ominous red eyes and the large, heavy chain in his hands the stranger had a friendly feeling about him. Dangerous, true, but still friendly.

Taking a closer look at him, Destiny could see that the man's features were blurred. His skin was a shifting, black shadow. But he had not been that way when he entered the room. That was curious.

Jace, the young man that followed her sister Miracle around like a love-sick puppy shouted, "Where do you just come from Wayminder?! Why are you here!?"

As she shouted, he threw his enchanted rope at the man. The same one that the hero Cole had done such magnificent wonders on. It snaked itself around the man, pinning his arms to his side.

"Of course you'd be here, Jace," the man laughed. "The boy with a chip on his shoulder and a pretty princess to show off to. How I wish Brandon had murdered this particular, little Darling!"

The rope itself turned into a snake!

Its body and head appearing in Jace's hand and biting him. Jace fell like a sack of potatoes to the floor, out cold. Mira screamed as the man got loose of his bindings and with a wave of his hand sent the guards and servants flying up into the air. He then made a shushing gesture, and their cries were instantly muted.

The stranger walked over to the family, Harmony rising up to step between him and her kids. He jumped with little more than a spring in his step over her and landed lightly on the table. The man plopped himself down cross legged and tore a leg from one of the steaming chickens at the table.

After taking a hurried bite, he said, "Ouch! Of course, it's hot!"

"What do you want with us," Harmony asked angrily.

Destiny saw her sisters, all of them preparing to use their powers if necessary to defend themselves. They had been attacked by their father and by his treacherous counselor Owandell; they would not be taken again. The man regarded them and laughed.

After taking another chunk out of the leg, he asked, "If I could open up some doors between the Outskirts and Earth, make it to where people would not lose their memories, what would you think?"

The question caught everyone off guard. All except for Destiny that was.

"Next you will ask Mira if she would want to see Cole again, correct?"

A bright, jagged grin appeared across the dark face, and the red eyes lit up even brighter.

"Exactly. An intriguing proposition, right?"

Miracle went pale, then red. Destiny would have been amused, but there was work to be done. She had felt, had seen that something was coming. But it was difficult to say for certain. She had seen three forces collide and shatter a world. And there was this man.

"Who are you?"

"I have not been doing a good job of introducing myself today," he chuckled to himself. He reached out a hand and said, "Serpent. You can call me Serpent."

"But that's not your real name," Destiny corrected.

"No. No, it is not," he admitted. "If you want something else to call me in the meantime, call me the Last Tscheapwhetzar."

"And you make Doors."

He nodded at her words. "Nice emphasis there, Destiny. Yes, I create Doors. Not just any old doors, but real, lasting portals between worlds and stories. The ability to blend together the things that nature and greater minds deemed unworthy of mixing. I corrupt and bend the very fabric of worlds to my will!"

He withdrew his sword, red lightning pouring along the length of the blade. He rammed it into the table, and for a split-second Destiny felt as if a force had just been thrust through her very soul. It was as if Serpent had just become a part of her.

"This part is always tricky, especially when dealing with a powerful mind and Star like Brandon Mull's," the Tscheapwhetzar said. "But I do love a challenge! Luckily for me, I already know the best cracks which to widen in order to get myself right where I need to be, and I already got my foot through the door with the little switcher-oo I just pulled!

"Now, Destiny… Would you mind taking man hand?"

He finished the chicken leg, bone and all. Then, after wiping his hand clean on a napkin, which he also ate, the Tscheapwhetzar reached out his hand to her.

"Destiny!"

"What are you doing," her mother and sister hissed at her.

"Destiny, it's not worth this to get Cole back," Mira said, sounding shaken and a little emotional. "I'm not sure what is going on here, but no man who does this can be trusted."

"Sorry, but you're wrong. I feel right about this," Destiny said, taking Serpent's hand. "Will you tell me your real name later?"

"Sure thing," he said with a wink. "Now, I'm going to ask you to lend your powers to me for a small moment. I want to open a way right into a slipstream. Right into the heart of the homesong itself! And once we have done that, there is something I want you and your family to read."

"It is a message explaining what is going on here," Destiny said. "You should really thing about opening up with that next time."

"Maybe you're right. But this does make for a more enjoyable and less exposition heavy tale!"

He took out a thick, almost bulging envelope and handed it to her. Destiny let Serpent touch her powers. A beautiful song filled the air, cutting off more protests from her family. The Tscheapwhetzar sighed and faded into mist. She could still feel his hand in hers, even though it wasn't there anymore. A kind of lifeline.

She immediately tore open the envelope and took out the lengthy letter.

"Destiny, what is going on," Honor asked.

Destiny just read further, handing one page of the letter after another to her sisters and mother when she was done reading them. She did understand everything that was written on them. No one in the Outskirts probably would. Maybe with the exception of Trillian. She heard gasps from the others as the Truth began to sink into them from what they read.

For Destiny, it was an entirely different experience. It was not just the words she read, but the images that came with them. Friends, family, enemies, lovers, strangers, comrades, and more. They marched beneath the starry sky through inky blackness to a multitude of floating islands. And before them floated a dead, black sphere. Eight symbols rose before her, and a king walked out from between them.

Then something roared, snapping Destiny out of the vision.

"Tessa, what did you see," Mira asked her, looking scared.

She looked over at her sister and whispered, "The Outskirts will go to war. And we will follow the man who takes death for a prize."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

The Tscheapwhetzar floated through the homesong, allowing himself to be carried to death. It was peaceful. It was returning home. The chain in one hand, and the shadow of the touch with Destiny helped keep him focused. The slipstream carried him into warm, comforting nothingness.

But this nothingness was nothing more than a gateway. It was not the end. Not even close.

He burst from the state of nothingness to behold a towering, golden wall. No, it was not the gates of Saint Peter. This was nothing that anyone back on Earth would have dreamed of. This was a special barrier between the Accursed and the afterlife. It was also the final hurdle for those who took the Path of Enlightenment.

The Tscheapwhetzar had once walked that road. He still bore the markings and token from that journey. Without them, he would have perished long ago. He had much to owe to the big man upstairs for those experiences and the tremendous gifts he bore. But they were also his shame.

Before him was Truth. And in the moment where he could have gone beyond what any living member of the Accursed had gone before, he turned back. He was a coward. A conniving, lustful, prideful monster. And he loved that part about him.

He could not go on.

But what he could do was take his great prize!

The Tscheapwhetzar hurled the chain in a thunderous bolt of red lightning right at the wall. It fused with the Truth. What he had just done was blasphemy beyond anything the Tscheapwhetzars had done since the Fourth Silent War.

 _If this is what I have to do, then so be it! The alternative to my defeat is something that the Realms and Reality cannot afford._

 _Plus, this will make me a legend!_

Carefully, he began hauling himself back up the chain, letting his connection with Destiny guide and protect him against the lull of submitting his will to death. He didn't want to die. That desire to not die had saved him countless times before. But there was something precious beyond that final Truth. And it beckoned him. Even him, a wretched monster.

"No," he growled in his throat. "I refuse to die!"

Hand over hand, he returned.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

So it was that the Tscheapwhetzar forged a Death Chain. It was legend from the First Silent War, but it had never been confirmed. The Tscheapwhetzar had forged it through many different links, seeking to not only rob death, but preserve the connections that bind all living beings, especially those who can love.

He was a monster who detested that emotion, but he could put it to great use. It would become a powerful weapon.

But it was not just a Death Chain that he gained. He now had a pantheon of gods at his side, access to powerful spirits, heroes of legend from different worlds, and powers that could reshape entire planets. He was the Corruptor and Collector after all, and he had just brought in a powerful harvest.

It was not just their powers he wanted, but also their stories. As he looked at Toph and Aang's healthy baby boy, he knew one thing for certain. Even for a monster like himself, power without a guiding star, and people to share it with, was not really power. Rather, it would be vain ambition and a force within the void. The key to his power were all the lives he brought under his banner, and each and every one of their stories.


End file.
